Sunshade for playpens



y 31, 1956 J. K. LA GROTTERIA SUNSHADE FOR PLAYPENS Filed Feb. 5, 1954 2 sheetsfisheat 1 Julius /(.La6rofferia INVENTOR.

y 31, 1956 J. K. LA GROTTERIA SUNSHADE FOR PLAYPENS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1954 Julius If. LaGrorfer/b INVENTOR.

9 BY m w fim United States Patent SUNSHADE FOR PLAYPENS Julius K. La Grotteria, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application February 5, 1954, Serial No. 408,543

6 Claims. (Cl. 135-20) My invention relates to improvements in sunshades for childrens play pens.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a sunshade for such pens embodying a canopy and means for attaching the canopy to a corner post of the play pen to support the canopy over the pen for easy quick adjustment horizontally and vertically to adequately protect a child in the pen from the sun.

Another object is to provide in the attaching means for the canopy a mount rotatably supporting the canopy and the canopy with musical sound making devices for amusing a child operative by rotation of the canopy, together with means on the canopy for rotating the same by wind pressure.

Still another object is to provide a sunshade and attaching means adapted for disassembly and storage in a comparatively small space, and which is safe to use and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other and ancillary objects together with the precise nature of my improvements will become readily apparent when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved sunshade in the preferred embodiment thereof attached to a childs play pen;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view in perspective of the play pen and canopy attaching means;

Figure 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view in bottom plan of the canopy detached;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section partly in side elevation of the mount for rotatably supporting the canopy;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure l, and

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on the line 7--7 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings by numerals the sunshade of my invention is designed especially for attachment to the conventional childs play pen 1 having square corner posts, as at 3.

The sunshade comprises an umbrella-type canopy 5, preferably of the scalloped edge type for ornamentation, and having a short staff 7. The canopy 5 may be formed of canvas with the usual ribs 6.

Musical sound making devices in the form of bells 9 are swingably suspended by straps 11 in clusters from the outer edge of the canopy 5 for ringing by rotation of the canopy 5 about a vertical axis to vibrate the bells.

Air pocketing cups 13 of suitably rigid material are provided in circular series on top of the canopy 5 and which open in the same direction for a purpose presently explained.

The attaching means for the canopy 5 comprises a tubular mast 15 of any light, strong metal detachably 2,756,760 Patented July 31, 1956 attached in upright position to one cornerpost 3 alongside the same by a pair of upper and lower lateral like clamps 17. The mast 15 extends above the play pen 1 a distance suitable for a purpose presently seen.

The clamps 17 are each formed of a plurality of strap metal sections 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 'one of which is welded as at 29 to the mast 15, said sections being of right angled form and secured together in square formation by bolts 31 and wing nuts 33 to fit around the post 3 and for vertical and angular adjustment on the post 3 to vertically adjust the attaching means.

A right angled bracket 35, preferably tubular, and having vertical and horizontal arms 37, 39 is detachably attached to the upper end portion of the mast 15 by a pair of upper and lower lateral clamps 41 on said arm 37 so that the bracket 35 is pivotally adjustable on the mast 15 to swing the arm 35 horizontally and is also vertically adjustable on said mast 15. The clamps41 each comprise a pair of opposite strapmetal clamping sections 43 welded at one end, as at 45, to the arm 37 and clampingly engaged with the mast 15 by short bolts 49 in the outer ends thereof having wing nuts 47 thereon. A collar 38 on mast 15 is adapted to engage the lower clamp 41 and limit downward adjustment of bracket 35.

The mount for rotatably supporting the canopy 5 comprises a vertical terminal sleeve 51 on the arm 39 in which the lower end of the staff is rotatably supported by upper and lower ball bearing units 53, 55 in said sleeve. A cup-shaped member 57 fixed 0n the staff is supported by the upper unit 53 and together with a cotter pin 59 in the lower end of stall 7 prevents accidental removal of the staif 7 from out of the sleeve 51.

Referring now to the use and operation of the invention the mast 15 is attached to the corner post 3 by the clamps 17 in a desired vertically adjusted position. The bracket 35 is attached by the clamps 41 to the mast 15 in adjusted position to adjust the canopy so as to efifectively shade the play pen 1. The cups 13 as will be clear are responsive to wind pressure to rotate the canopy so that under the influence of intermittent or steady breezes said canopy will be rotated either intermittently or steadily to vibrate the bells for producing musical sounds to amuse a child in the play pen. As will be manifest the described sunshade may be easily detached and the parts disassembled for storage in a limited space or for carrying.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufiice to impart a clear understanding of my invention.

Manifestly, the invention is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept and right is herein reserved to modifications falling within the scope of the invention as herein disclosed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A sunshade for a play pen comprising a canopy having a vertical staff, means attachable to a vertical post of the play pen and rotatably supporting said stall above said play pen for rotation of the canopy, wind responsive meanson said canopy for causing rotation of the same,

. and vibratory sound making devices swingably suspended I play pen.

3. A sunshade according to claim 1, said wind responsive means comprising cup members on said canopy spaced in circular series around the axis of the staif.

4. A sunshade according to claim 1, said sound making devices comprising bells and flexible straps suspending the bells from said canopy.

5. A sunshade according to claim 1, said first means comprising a vertical sleeve, said stafi having a supporting cup member thereon rotatable on the upper end of the sleeve.

6. A sunshade according to claim 1, said wind responsive means comprising cup members on said canopy spaced in circular series around the axis of the stafi and opening in each series in the same direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

